Four in a row for Arsenal as Lacazette and Aubameyang combine again
Unai Emery’s Arsenal revolution continued to build momentum as his usual suspects provided the goals to secure a fourth successive Premier League win at the expense of Everton yesterday.
Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang fired in quick-fire second-half strikes to secure a 2-0 victory, although the latter was offside as he tucked home.
It was the third time in the last five league games they have started together that both forwards have found the back of the net.
After losing the opening two games of his reign, Emery has been unbeaten since, although Everton will feel hard done by to leave the Emirates Stadium on the receiving end of a defeat.
Emery admitted his side had ridden their luck at times. He said: “We are happy because we wanted to win for our supporters, to continue improving, and the three points are very important.
“We didn’t control the match like we wanted to in the first half, but our goalkeeper [Petr Cech] had a good performance to keep us in it.”
Marco Silva’s men had the better of the first half, with Richarlison, back in the team after serving a three-match ban, a threat for much of the opening 45 minutes.
Despite a decent display, Everton remain without a league win since the second week of the season and were left to reflect on missed opportunities.
They had a great chance to take the lead inside 90 seconds as Dominic Calvert-Lewin broke behind Arsenal’s high defensive line but had his effort blocked by Cech.
The visitors continued to keep a high tempo, forcing Arsenal into a couple of defensive errors as Emery’s side once again tried to play out from the back.
Arsenal came close to breaking the deadlock as Hector Bellerin’s cross was knocked down to Nacho Monreal by Aubameyang, with Jordan Pickford making a smart save from the Spaniard’s strike.
In an open encounter it was Everton who were next to threaten, Cech pushing away a Richarlison strike after the Brazil international had easily held off the challenge of Bellerin.
Lucas Digne was next to force Cech into action as his freekick was tipped over the crossbar after Sokratis Papastathopoulos was booked for fouling former Arsenal winger Theo Walcott on the edge of the box.
With Arsenal enjoying more of the ball after the interval they were denied a penalty by referee Jon Moss, who was unmoved by claims of handball against Jonjoe Kenny.
They hit the front soon after, though, Lacazette with a pinpoint finish inside the far post after an incisive pass from Aaron Ramsey – and things got better just three minutes later.
Mesut Ozil broke forward and his low cross was scuffed by Ramsey into the path of Aubameyang, who doubled the lead, despite standing in an offside position.
Substitute Cenk Tosun forced a late save out of Cech, but Arsenal held on to continue their winning ways and pick up a first clean sheet under Emery in the process.